If 2014’s Godzilla movie was forced to scale back on the Kaiju – thanks in large part to licensing issues – then its blockbuster sequel, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, dialed things up to 11.
From Mothra to Rodan to the three-headed King Ghidorah, Mike Dougherty’s MonsterVerse follow-up truly took things to another level, resulting in some of the best live-action Kaiju cinematics we’ve seen in a very long time. Gojira’s decimation of Ghidorah is a particular highlight, not least because it features Big G at his thermonuclear best. And woe to any Kaiju that dares stand in his way.
Had things panned out differently, though, Dougherty’s King of the Monsters would’ve introduced an unlikely ally to Godzilla and Mothra. And we’ll give you a clue: it’s a volcanic Pterodactyl.
We first thought of having Rodan, Mothra, and Godzilla team up against Ghidorah but that just didn't seem fair, (and we've seen it before). Plus it was more fun to show Rodan taking orders from Ghidorah, his new alpha, only to later change allegiance when Godzilla is victorious.
— Monsterverse (@Monsterverse) April 24, 2020
Dougherty made the revelation late last month during a special Twitter re-watch of Godzilla: King of the Monsters (the entire thread is well worth a read, as it includes bite-sized tidbits about secret celebrity cameos and the non-Toho Kaiju featured in the movie).
As the director points out, though, the decision to pair Rodan with Mothra and Godzilla would have taken away from the incredible moment when Rodan bowed before his new alpha. It’s that moment that forms that basis of the final scene. Having successfully defeated Ghidorah (?), Gojira stands before all Titans, who recognize Big G as the one true king of the monsters.
Of course, both Legendary and Warner Bros. are about to unveil a new pretender to the throne: Kong. After years of franchise-building, the MonsterVerse will reach its Herculean finale with the aptly-titled Godzilla Vs. Kong on November 20th, 2020. That’s a little later than initially expected, but practically every new release has been affected (or outright delayed) by COVID-19.